Peter Dowdall: How to rethink a garden when a tree has fallen 

Whether knocked by a storm or cut down, it's sad to see the end of a mature tree — but it offers a chance for new beginnings in the garden 

A tree felled by a storm can open up a new opportunity in a garden. Picture: iStock

Some of the recent stormy weather has left gaps and holes in gardens and whilst we may be sad to see the end of an old tree or mature shrub — and perhaps you are left with a mess to clean up after a large branch or tree fell on existing planting, destroying what lay beneath — we should look upon this as an opportunity to introduce something new into the garden.

That something new may simply be a replacement tree or shrub — or perhaps it leads to the development of a whole new area or a complete re-think of the garden.